Group asks to postpone data center rezoning vote following Jackson City Council meeting
A group is asking the Jackson Planning Board to delay a vote on rezoning 190 acres in Northwest Jackson for a data center to allow more time to address city concerns regarding noise, emissions, and utility burdens. This request follows the Jackson City Council's recent rejection of a temporary data center moratorium. The city has committed to developing data center-specific standards.
The Jackson Planning Board is considering a request from Saxum Investment Group LLC to rezone approximately 190 acres in Northwest Jackson for a potential data center. The property, currently zoned residential, commercial, and light industrial, is located along Forest Avenue near I-220 and Medgar Evers Boulevard. Saxum's attorney, Robert Ireland, has requested a postponement of the Planning Board's vote from May 27 to June 24. This delay would allow the city additional time to develop and present data center-specific standards addressing concerns like noise, emissions, and utility burdens, and provide Saxum more time for community engagement.
The request for postponement follows the Jackson City Council's recent decision to vote down a temporary six-month moratorium on data center development. Council members, including President Brian Grizzell and Ward Two Councilwoman Tina Clay, debated whether the proposed moratorium was a zoning ordinance requiring advertising and a public hearing, or merely a policy. Grizzell, who introduced the moratorium, expressed concerns about the impact of data centers on the city's water, sewer, and electrical infrastructure, as well as potential "disproportionate environmental burdens" on vulnerable neighborhoods. He argued that data centers were being proposed in "Black neighborhoods" and advocated for a "cooling period" to establish proper zoning and planning.
Ward Seven Councilman Kevin Parkinson acknowledged the contentious nature of the issue but called for a fact-based community conversation. He outlined both the potential infrastructure demands of data centers, such as high water and electricity consumption and noise, and the limited long-term job creation. However, Parkinson also highlighted the significant economic benefits data centers could bring, including an estimated $5 million to $12 million annually for the city and substantial funds for the school system and county. Ireland, while noting no specific data center project is confirmed, echoed the potential for significant economic impact.